


Fool Me Once

by Cyan (vehicroids)



Category: South Park
Genre: Angst, Booty Calls, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, kyle-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-25 02:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14369361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan
Summary: Stan and Wendy loved each other, anyone who thought otherwise was a fool. Kyle dared to be a fool.





	Fool Me Once

Stan loved Wendy. He had loved her since he was eight, despite their on-off relationship that lasted for over ten years. It seemed like they would always be together, their fates intertwined, and no one could come between them. Anyone who thought otherwise was a fool.

Kyle was a fool. Not because he thought otherwise - how could he, when it was so obvious? - but because he dared to think Stan would have room in his heart for two people. Each time Stan and Wendy broke up, Kyle hoped this time, it may have been for good. Wendy was good for him, she was a nice girl, there was no denying it. It was simply Kyle's jealousy getting the better of him, manifesting physically in his being like a mouthful he could not swallow. He tried a thousand times to get over Stan, but just when he thought he was over him, Stan pulled him back in.

Stan had a habit when he and Wendy broke up; he would cry, usually found solace at the bottom of a bottle, then text Kyle late at night. Maybe if he just hadn't have replied to the text in the first place, things wouldn't have been so bad. Kyle wasn't always smart, though, and he was lonely and desperate. For one night, he wanted to be wanted. He should have said he wasn't a backup for when Wendy wasn't around, but instead, he agreed.

The first time, it was just sex, and Stan stumbled home shortly after. Kyle didn't mind; they got what they wanted, after all. But the more it happened, the less likely Stan was to be drunk. The more it happened, the sweeter it became. It was less and less about the sex, and more and more about the intimacy. Kyle let himself believe that Stan meant the words he said during, soft words he would only ever say on those nights. Soft words that Kyle echoed, with all the meaning in the world behind every syllable. Every time, he believed something might come of it this time.

Stan usually passed out first, a mess of tangled limbs with Kyle. He would stroke his hair so softly, kiss his temple, make the most of this. Before he fell asleep, he always felt doubt nipping at the back of his mind, but he brushed it off. This time, he thought, wrapped up in the feeling of Stan, it had to be the one.

Of course, it never was. A day, a week, a month later, it didn't matter, it always ended with Kyle seeing Stan at school, hand laced with Wendy's. Kyle would smile, patting Stan on the back and telling him to make it work this time. Stan would laugh, assuring him that  _ this time _ , it would work. For a brief moment, Stan would look at him, almost apologetic, before going back to Wendy. Yeah, and maybe this time, it wouldn't work.

To no one's surprise, it never lasted. Kyle was secretly relieved, though he bit back his comments. Stan cried on Kyle and Kenny every single time, and while Kyle wanted to help, it left him feeling bitter. He seemed unable to maintain any form of romantic relationship, Kyle thought. He couldn't understand why he kept going back to it, over and over, when it just ended in tears. Though, he supposed love made people do crazy things, including things like carrying on affairs that went nowhere.

Stan crawled back to her every time, no matter what; Wendy never crawled back to him. Kyle wanted to tell him to knock it off, but it would come out more selfish than for Stan's benefit. So the cycle carried on, over and over, and Kyle wasn't sure how much more of this he could handle.

Then, he found out.

Kyle glanced at the clock - midnight. He supposed he should crawl into bed right about now. He turned off his computer and got into bed, fiddling with his phone for a little while longer. He would sleep soon, he promised himself. His phone buzzed in his hand, a notification dropping down. Stan. Of course it was. He set himself to ignore it, but he couldn't. Kyle never could just ignore Stan.

‘ _ You busy? _ ’

Kyle bit down on his cheek, almost enough for it to pierce the skin. Was this who he wanted to be? A booty call to a lonely guy, who would drop him for Wendy every time? Usually, the answer was yes, but not this time. He tapped the side of his phone with his index finger in thought, before finally tapping out a reply.

‘ _ I can't do this anymore, dude. I can't keep being her backup like this. I'm done, Stan. We should just be regular best friends again. _ ’

That was hard, harder than it should have been. This was for their own good, but that didn't make it any easier. He turned his phone off, dropping it on the bedside table. Kyle grabbed a pillow, holding it close to his chest. God knows he needed a hug right now, but of course, he turned down the one person who would have hugged him right now.

There was so much more he wanted to say; he wanted to say he loved Stan, and every time he got back with Wendy, it was like stabbing Kyle in the gut. He wanted to say Stan had to pick between them, despite knowing he would lose. He wanted to say he would risk their friendship to give  _ this _ a shot. Kyle didn't, because he already knew where he stood in this.

He took a deep breath. Their friendship after this would heal, things would go back to normal. They had been through so much more, so much worse, for this to ruin them. They weren't super best friends for nothing.

**Author's Note:**

> I have been into SP since 1998 and have never written fanfiction for it? Huh. Anyway I started watching it again to deal with Big Bang stress and... guys? I still love Style. Maybe there'll be a continuation to this fic. I don't know. It's nice to write something that isn't a committment. If it's OOC, I'm blaming today's heat. :'D
> 
> Don't forget to check me out on [Tumblr](https://vehicroids.tumblr.com)!


End file.
